When is the last time you received a plastic straw without asking for it? Are you ready for it to be your last plastic straw?
Plastic straws are of no real value or significance to most people and they contribute massively to the plastic pollution problem in our oceans, waterways and beaches.
The Last Plastic Straw movement seeks to activate citizens through grassroots campaigning to encourage individuals to push for change in restaurant protocol and practices in their local communities. By becoming aware of the issue yourself and mobilising a movement within your community to limit and ultimately eliminate the use of plastic straws, you can bring about wider behaviour change and reduce the amount of single-use plastic damaging our planet.
The movement started in the US and teams of community organisers are now mobilising around the world to take simple, practical and effective action towards eliminating plastic straws.
Over 1,800 restaurants, organizations, institutions, and schools worldwide have stopped using plastic straws or implemented a serve-straws-upon-request policy as part of the Last Plastic Straw movement. Businesses report a 60-90% reduction in plastic straw use and waste, resulting in significant financial savings.
Plastic Free July is a great opportunity to revisit businesses who may not be proactive in serving straws upon request and ask them if they would be willing to hang the poster and participate by only serving straws upon request during the month of July. You can find the poster here in the resources section
What's involved?
Gather a small team in your community, build awareness of the issue and then work in partnership with local business to eliminate the wasteful and unnecessary use of plastic straws. The project can be carried out as part of an existing community group, a school project or just as a small group of people concerned about this issue. We've put together a 5 Step Guide that has all the information and resources you need to take the first step towards a plastic free community.
